


Operation Bright Spark

by YouMeAtNope



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Almost Ereri, Fireworks, Hanji fucked up again, M/M, Titans, slight ereri
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-01-02
Updated: 2015-01-02
Packaged: 2018-03-04 22:55:39
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,228
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3095639
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/YouMeAtNope/pseuds/YouMeAtNope
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Armin is a firework maniac and every year he loses it and fires them with such passion and a lunatic look in his eyes while Eren screams and tries to make him stop.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Operation Bright Spark

**Author's Note:**

> Yet another tumblr prompt because I have no life.

The small formation of the Survey Corps were gathered over the expanse of a field, hoping that they were safe from any impending Titan attacks. A few members that didn't want to join in with the social gathering volunteered - well, were _forced_ \- to wait nearby to kill any Titans and alert the other members as they remained on the field.

Eren watched impatiently as Armin's hands violently trembled as he picked up a stack of fireworks; a crazed look in his sapphire orbs as he stared down at them, a similarly crazed smile curling on his lips.

" _This_ is it, _this_ is the night." He whispered, the fingertips of his left hand brushing over some of the fireworks he held. He held them like a child, like they were his greatest joy. Eren was used to him acting this way; acting almost cynical as he stared, year after year and picked out the fireworks he wanted to use. Considering Armin was one of the softer members of the Survey Corps, most expected him to cower and shake; being scared of any possible Titan attacks that were attracted by the booms and bangs of the fireworks.

The light the fireworks gave off was yet another thing that some of the members were scared of. The fact that the Titans could attack if roused enough did cause some level of fear to ignite throughout the group, but Hanji explained that Titans were less active at night due to the lack of sunlight. Mikasa stood by Eren's side, a stoic expression plastered on her pale features as she then took a step forward and picked up some more fireworks; planning to lay them out with Armin's assistance.

 _Eren_ also had his own job, nothing too big but something that would allow Armin to have his fun. Eren's job was to look for a light - the light of a torch that waved over the horizon beneath the harvest moon to inform him that the area was secure and that they could start. Even though it was a casual affair, the troops were _required_ to wear their uniform; and Three Dimensional Maneuver gear in case any Titans closed in on the perimeter.

Eren wanted to complain, he wanted to say that the heavy gear was sucking the fun out of the _party_ but he knew that the gear would save them if there was any trouble from the giants. Eren waited, and he waited, and he waited until he grew tired of waiting and he wanted to crash for a while; but Mikasa wasn't having any of it.

"Eren, don't you dare." Was her warning, and Eren knew better than to ignore her. He reluctantly stood up, eyes fixed on the horizon as he waited for the signal; and it soon came. The flame of the torch waved over the horizon, informing the troops of their safety. With a short turn the brunette looked over at Armin, nodded once and said, "Operation Bright Spark is go."

Eren inwardly cringed at Armin's choice of words, as he knew that the blonde had picked out the phrase himself. Considering there were fireworks, Eren wasn't surprised that Armin was literally stating the obvious. _As usual_. Armin let out a shout as he and Mikasa lit the fireworks and bolted, grabbing onto Eren's arm in the process as Mikasa dragged him away to the top of the hill.

After a few seconds the booming began and Eren couldn't help but feel dread course through his body as he knew that the fireworks would indeed draw some form of attention from the brightness, as well as the noise. Once safely on the hill Armin spun around, arms out at his sides as he and the rest of the Survey Corps stared up at the once dark sky and they watched the fireworks illuminate both the sky and the area around them.

The scene caused many members to break out in a series of "Oh"s and "Ah"s, and Eren merely watched with a familiar feeling in his gut as he inched closer to Hanji. Her goggles rested against her hair as she held them up, eyes wide and looking up at the sky.

"U-uh, Hanji?" He asked rather loudly, trying to address her. She soon turned to him, a smile present on her lips.

"What can I do for you, Eren?"

"The fireworks... The light from them... Will it awake any of the titans?" Small tremors filled Eren's body as he thought of just how the Titans would react to the fireworks, and who knew if the light was enough to give them the energy to move. Hanji merely grinned in reply, tilting her head as a crazed look, much similar to Armin's, formed in her eyes.

"We know that they react to sunlight, and that seems to give them the energy to move around in the day, but we tried to test out different types of light to see if it would wake any of them."

"And did _it_ work?" Eren's tone was laced with concern.

"Did _what_ work?" Was Hanji's reply. Eren couldn't help but stifle a sound of irritation as he clenched his fists.

"Did you see if different lights - mainly fireworks - caused the Titans to react?" He put forth his question, blatantly stating the obvious and Hanji stared back up at the sky in fascination.

"Oh, no, we didn't test fireworks." Eren was gobsmacked, there was no other word for it. They tested to see if lights would attract the Titans, but they didn't even bother to test fireworks? _Stupid_. The brunette stepped forward, almost ready to grab Hanji's shoulders when the sound of footsteps sounded to his right.

He turned his head, eyes fixing on the figure beside him. Eren soon looked down, originally expecting it to be someone much... Taller. Levi looked over at Eren, an eyebrow raised. "Something wrong, Jaeger?" Eren nodded once, crossed his arms in front of his chest as he leaned towards Levi, head tilted to one side.

"Yes, Corporal Levi." The statement caused the Corporal to frown as he stared up at the younger male, creases forming between his eyebrows.

"Go on."

Eren inhaled for a moment or two, knowing better than to test Levi's patience as he began.

"The fireworks weren't tested on the Titans we captured, so how will they react?" Something changed in Levi, and his expression fell from his features, replacing his pale skin with a softer look. Eren gazed at the older man, watching as years were suddenly lifted off of him once his heavy expression had disappeared. The brunette watched the fear disappear from the raven haired's face as quickly as it had appeared.

"I expect things should be fine." And with that his expression turned hard once more.

"You _expect_?" Eren was shocked at how hard his voice had been, and he felt fear bubble up inside him as he realised he had addressed the Corporal in such a way. Levi merely raised an eyebrow in questioning.

"You expect that things will be fine? We don't know what the fireworks could do to the Titans, and we're sitting around watching a fucking light show that could easily attract the lot of them?!" His voice had raised into a much deeper tone by now and he felt confusion sink in as Levi turned to stare up at the fireworks, a ghost of a smile drawing across his lips. After a moment or two of staring at the "fucking light show" Levi turned back to face Eren, the smile still present on his lips.

"You trust me, right, Eren?" Eren blinked slowly. Levi rarely said his name, and the brunette felt his brows furrow as he stared down at his superior.

"Why are you asking me this now, I-"

"I'm asking you if you trust me, the team. Now, let me ask you again; do you trust me?" The sheer passion that was laced within Levi's words felt foreign to Eren, as he along with most were strangely used to the malice and monotonousness that the Corporal spoke with every word.

"I trust you." Eren's voice was soft, quiet, and if Levi hadn't been reading his lips then he knew that he wouldn't have heard it at all. Levi sighed, slowly sinking down as he sat down on the grassy bank, knees bent as he laid his legs out in front of him. He placed his arms on his knees, staring out as he watched the colours fill the air with the familiar booms and scent of gunpowder.

Eren copied his movements, moving down to sit close to the Corporal as he too watched the fireworks that shot out into the night before them. The two of them stayed quiet for a moment or two before Levi broke the silence between the two of them. "Have you ever seen a harvest moon before, Eren?" He asked softly. Eren heard him perfectly, biting his lip before replying.

"You're asking me about the moon?"

"Yes," the older man turned to look at Eren for what felt like the hundredth time that night, "now answer the question." Eren averted his gaze and focused on the large moon present in the sky.

"Probably, I've just never really noticed it." A small sound escaped Levi as he hummed in thought, nodding once as he gazed back up at the moon.

"The Harvest Moon is just a name. It's the name for the full moon nearest the autumnal equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere, the Harvest Moon most often falls in September but sometimes falls in early October." Eren frowned and Levi shifted under the scrutiny of Eren's gaze.

"Uh, what?" Levi sighed and pressed his knuckle under his chin as he leaned his elbow against his knee.

"The Harvest Moon comes about around harvest, normally in September." The brunette blinked in reply, expression still questioning.

"It's just a big-ass moon, Jaeger." He rolled his eyes, shifting slightly as he rested his arms against his knees and inclined his head as he took in Eren's features.

"And what does this big-ass moon symbolise, sir?" Eren's lips pulled up into a smile and Levi couldn't help but smile back. _That shit's catching. "_ For some, it symbolises hope - a light in the dark. You have to trust that light to guide you home."

"And you and the rest of the troop... I have to trust you to guide me home?" Levi watched in earnest as Eren slowly put the pieces together, and Levi simply nodded in response. "Learn to trust us, Eren. Learn-" Levi leaned in his upper arm pressed to Eren's as he whispered, "learn to trust me."

It was then that Eren felt something within his chest as he took in Levi's words, and he knew that he could trust him; but he felt a familiar pang of pain within him as he thought about how Levi would be the one to end his life when the time was right. With two pairs of eyes, one blue green, and another gun metal, they stared at one another, seeming to inch in towards each other.

Eren's eyes focused on Levi's lips and he absentmindedly licked his own, Levi soon did the same. With only a hair's width between the two of them they both inhaled, feeling the wind tousle their hair - and then the moment had gone when a scream filled the air. They both shot away from each other, eyes fixed on the figures at the bottom of the hill as Armin ran the length of the field, a firework almost as big as himself in his arms and lit as he ran about in sheer excitement.

"ARMIN!" Eren's voice came out in a panicked scream as he flung himself forward, consequently plummeting down the hill and wildly tumbling all the way to the bottom. It was at that moment that Armin threw the firework up into the air, arms spread out as Eren took the opportunity to fling himself up from the dirt and grass; only to throw himself on top of Armin as he tackled him to the ground; screaming out a string of profanities as he did so.

Levi slowly rose to his feet, a sigh leaving his lips as he watched the scene unfold for only a few more moments before he turned and began to walk away, his cape wafting slightly as a breeze picked up. By the time Eren had finished brawling with Armin he wiped the mud from his face and slowly stood up, turning his back to the blonde as he stared up at the hill and he felt his heart drop.

"Levi..." He whispered. The fireworks continued to book before silence fell across the landscape and the only light was that of the torches and the moon, as the troops watching for Titans proceeded towards the ground group, warning them to get back to their horses for a battle was only just beginning.

Eren's eyes watered as he practically flung himself onto his horse and kicked his heels into the mammal's sides to get it to break into a gallop. Up ahead Levi ploughed forward on his own black beast, brows furrowed and hands waiting for the opportunity to click the catch on his 3DM gear and take flight.


End file.
